Twenty
by Teaismyqueen
Summary: So, it's a beginnings story but it does extend to the future. Henry and Elizabeth get set up, they hate each other but really like kissing each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all, its been a while but, here I am with a new story. It's based off a prompt that has been used a couple of times before but I had this in my mind and it wouldn't leave until it was written. **

**The prompt is Elizabeth and Henry hate each other but really enjoy kissing. **

**So that's it. Enjoy. **

**Chapter 1**

"Eurgh, I am so frustrated. I just can't seem to find an extracurricular activity that doesn't include jerks, " Elizabeth huffed impatiently. Her voice was harsh, full of irritation and much louder than usual. Becky, her roommate, jumped up from her book and let out a slight scream as Elizabeth slammed the door and threw her bag down onto the floor. All Elizabeth wanted to do was meet some new people, she wanted to be able to take her mind off life, flirt some and maybe, potentially find a boyfriend. However, her quest had led her down some questionable routes including the most recent, archery, where talking was almost forbidden. Although, it wasn't a bad thing as the one guy that did talk to her was a complete idiot and a sleaze.

"Tell me… Do I attract idiots?" The question hung in the air, unanswered, as Elizabeth collapsed onto her bed face down. "Hang on, do not answer that. I don't want to know the answer," came her muffled reply.

"It's simple… Maybe you are a jerk too" Becky said, whilst grinning widely at an obviously annoyed Elizabeth. "I think you just need to go on an actual date with someone. Let your hair down for a night." Becky paused and waited gingerly to see how Elizabeth reacted. Normally she would shoot her down but there was an edge to Elizabeth today that Becky thought could be remedied by some fun. When Elizabeth turned over to lay on her side, her head propped up on her hand, Becky took this as an invitation to continue. "Aaron said he knew a guy who was looking to be set up."

Elizabeth sat up slowly eyeing her roommate with caution. Maybe she did need to just go out and flirt for a night. She sure could use a release.

"Apparently he's quite good looking and on a ROTC scholarship. Might mean he has a good body" Becky shrugged her shoulders before continuing. "If it goes well then we can all double date."

Elizabeth considered Becky's proposal and as she did her mind threw a lot of objections to the forefront. "He's probably some jock that hasn't got two brain cells left," she sighed, falling back onto the bed.

"Elizabeth! Does that matter if he's hot?" Becky shrieked, making Elizabeth wince slightly.

"If he is so hot then why is he single?" Elizabeth counteracted, not willing to give in so easily.

"I think he just came out of a relationship."

Elizabeth couldn't help but huff a little as she sat up and crossed her legs. She wasn't sure she wanted a blind date, with all the awkwardness and tension. However, she craved something a little different so felt herself wavering and accepting the proposal. But she couldn't do it without a little snarkiness.

"Fine, I'm open to it. I'll just have someone else's sloppy seconds. What does it matter anyway But Becky, you and Aaron cannot tell anyone about this."

* * *

Henry marched his way across town to the pizza place that had been pre-arranged by Aaron. He wasn't really looking forward to the blind date as his day had been pretty awful. From his coffee spilling across his textbook to losing his keys, he was ready to write this day off and go to bed. However, he was a man of his word and he wouldn't stand anyone up. As Henry crossed the road in front of the restaurant he checked the time and noted that he was 5 minutes early. _Good, _he thought to himself. He liked to be early.

Henry had it drilled into him by his father at a young age that to be 5 minutes early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late and to be late is unacceptable. This mantra had annoyingly stuck with him ever since and in his mind he could still hear his dad's voice repeating it over and over.

As Henry pushed through the double doors, he took a deep breath and shook his head slightly, trying to physically get his dad out of his mind. He most certainly didn't need Patrick McCord along for the ride tonight.

"Good evening, do you have a reservation?" The sweetness in the hostesses voice annoyed Henry a little, his dad floated back into his mind _if only they were a little less fake I wouldn't mind eating out - Patrick McCord circa 1983._

"Er, yes I do. Name is Henry and I have a table for 2 at 8." Henry shrugged his jacket off his shoulders and handed it over to the hostess as she informed him that the other member of the party was already there waiting.

Henry felt himself falter slightly, this was not how it was meant to work out. He liked to arrive first; he thought it portrayed good manners and it irked him that his date had arrived first. As he walked toward the table, he contemplated why he was doing this. _Do I really need to date again? _Apparently according to his friend Aaron the answer was yes so here he was.

Henry first noticed her hair, the blonde almost golden in the dim lights of the restaurant. It was like someone had bottled the late afternoon sun and made it into human hair. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not; his last girlfriend had darker colouring and he supposed he just had to get used to something new. Henry took a deep breath as he arrived, preparing himself to be polite and introduce himself when the woman turned around in her seat and turned her blue eyes on him.

"Nice of you to turn up, I was about to go." Her voice was unusual, lower than most girls with a deep husky undertone. Henry internally groaned. _Damn she is hot. _Her face was petite and her eyes were bright blue, a small smattering of freckles adorned her nose, highlighting the high arch of her cheekbones. He was in trouble; he didn't want to find her so attractive.

Her words put him on the back foot and left him scrambling for an answer. It made no sense, he was early, he was always early.

Elizabeth watched the young man flounder a little, his mouth unattractively opening and closing like a fish. She had obviously caught him out, he wasn't expecting her to confront him like this. However, she was feeling moody. She had a bad day and she was miffed at herself for getting the wrong time and turning up half an hour early. Elizabeth was also annoyed that she stuck around because now she couldn't leave and she was really frustrated that she found him attractive. He was tall, fresh faced and his dark hazel eyes were captivating.

"Cat got your tongue?" she enquired, softening her tone as not to scare him anymore. Her arms loosened from around her chest as she uncrossed them to stand. He jumped back a little, still in a state of shock. Elizabeth had almost written him off in her mind. She wanted someone who was a little more confident who could keep her on her toes but he had just stood there, silently.

She watched as he finally composed himself enough to answer her. He looked a little angry, his eyes narrowed as his forehead creased and his lips pressed into a tight thin line which made her giggle nervously. "I am not late. Have you checked… He-Hey why are you laughing?"

Her giggle was punctuated with a soft snort. Henry rolled his eyes, this was not off to a good start at all.

"I'm just messing with you, I can now see that you cannot take a joke." she said plainly. _Personality points zero, _she concluded in her mind.

This infuriated Henry to the point where he almost walked straight back out of the restaurant. He did not need this today but he was hungry and she was cute. Clenching his fists, he was about to retort but stopped himself from stooping to her level. Taking a breath he said, "I'm Henry, you must be Elizabeth."

"Yes, I am. Would be awkward if I wasn't." She thrust her hand out to no man's land between them and he took it gingerly. His hand was larger than hers and he gripped it a little firmer than Elizabeth thought was acceptable. However, the way his hand felt in hers was intriguing. It shot through her body almost like a flood of energy, feeling her body react to him in a way that wasn't quite appropriate.

"Shall, we sit down?" Henry said as he released her delicate hand, noting how slender her fingers were. "Have you managed to look at the menu yet?"

His tone of voice and question annoyed her and she wasn't quite sure why. It snapped her out of her head and the surge of adrenaline she had felt when they touched dissipated. He didn't have a horrible irritating voice, it was just the way he spoke to her. This was not going well. Other than his obvious good looks he had nothing going for him. But she was there and hungry so sat down and tried to behave.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to those who reviewed the first chapter. I truly forgot how lovely it was to read what you all thought. I have decided to post this next chapter a little quicker because I want it to flow well. So let's see what happens on their date. Enjoy...**

**Chapter 2**

A little over an hour into the date, Elizabeth excused herself from the table and went to the restroom. She needed a break from Henry. He had pushed her about her family, until she snapped at him to stop. She wouldn't share those details with someone she couldn't stand. It was absolutely none of his business. Over the last hour she had learned that Henry was studying theology, _bore,_ and had even quoted some saint or another which in her mind made him pretentious. He was joining the military and he even made some wisecrack about having to suffer the entitlement of the rich kids at UVA.

They were just totally different and apart from being good looking, she just wasn't interested. He riled her up and made her snappy and she was over this evening and ready to go home. Heading back to the table, she saw that he had asked for the bill which pleased her enough to pick up her pace.

"Oh, you are back." He sounded surprised almost like he had forgotten her already. _Charming _she thought, and had to stop herself from rolling her eyes so she busied herself with pulling out her chair to sit down.

"Of course. Were you hoping that I had left?" she retorted, looking over her shoulder at the exit.

"No, it just seemed as though you had enough and wanted to leave." Henry pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. "You know pull the 'I'm just going to the restroom trick' and never reappearing."

"Is that how your dates normally end up?" Elizabeth internally cringed as the words tumbled out into the open. That was even a little too snarky for her. She felt as though she should apologise but just couldn't bear to.

"Unbelievable," huffed Henry as he laid the money out on top of the ticket.

"How much was it? I will split you the money," she said as she reached for her purse.

Again, this wasn't how Henry usually operated. He liked to pay for dates, he thought it romantic even though this evening was anything even close to resembling romantic. But this woman would not compromise his morals. "Its OK. I got it," he said sharply, hoping that he would shut it down before an argument started.

"I want to pay my share."

"I said I got it."

Their eyes met and the tension at the table increased, the air was thick around them. "This is a date and I would like to pay." Henry spoke through gritted teeth this time as they stared each other down. Both were tense and on edge, neither wanting to back down from their position.

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "I do not want to owe you anything. I am not letting you pay for this waste of time. I can pay my way."

"I insist." The sharp tone of his voice sliced through the air like a hot knife through butter. "I am a gentleman and I believe I should pay."

That broke Elizabeth. Not only could this man not take a joke, he was old fashioned, too. She snapped at him. "Your views are outdated. I'm not arguing with you." With that, she stood and pulled a $20 note out of her purse and threw it down on the table. For a split second, Elizabeth thought about saying thank you, as she was raised to, but she just wanted to get out of there. So she turned on her heel and left, head held as high as she could.

The night air hit her and she took huge lungfuls of it as she wrapped her cardigan around her torso. "Patronising jerk," she muttered under her breath before walking away. She cringed when she heard her name being called. She debated walking faster pretending that she hadn't heard him but it sounded like he was getting closer. _Just like fucking Jaws, _she thought to herself, as she prepared to be attacked by him.

Henry strode the last couple of steps and reached out for her arm. He held onto her elbow and pulled her around to face him. She yanked it out of his grasp and her eyes bore into his with ice, the fierceness shocked him to some degree.

"Hey, don't ignore me. It's rude," he said pointedly.

"Don't touch me," Elizabeth voiced at the same time. He towered over her and she suddenly felt small compared to him. It made her feel alive. Her heart, a traitor to her mind, confirmed her excitement in every fast beat. "I'm not apologising for ignoring you," she said harshly.

He rolled his eyes, slightly out of breath. How could she be so infuriating but so hot at the same time? He surmised those damn eyes held him captured. "I'm not apologising either. I wouldn't want you to owe me anything," he said with glee. He was playing her at her own game and he found he enjoyed provoking her a little too much.

"What do you want then?" Elizabeth spat, glaring at him with her frosty expression.

"To give you this." Henry held the $20 note up in between them and tried to put it in her hand. Their eyes never broke contact fueling the intensity between them. Elizabeth moved her hands out the way, Henry soon gave up and took to waving it in front of her face. "I can't accept it. I don't care what you say. I'm not compromising my morals for you."

That made Elizabeth laugh. "Your morals. Jeez, give it a break." She rolled her eyes at this as she barked with laughter. Elizabeth stepped a little closer to Henry enjoying the feel of him so close. She felt powerful, like she could put him on edge, and she decided in that moment to play. "Your morals mean nothing if they are stuck in the 60s." She gripped his wrist tightly that held the $20 out in front of him. She enjoyed seeing him wince a little as her fingers wrapped around his skin, wondering if pain or excitement flashed across his expression.

Her fingers felt like fire, as though every fingerprint was being seared into his skin marking him as hers forever. He instantly craved more. She was pure temptation to him. His eyes flitted down to her slightly parted lips. He wanted to kiss her even just to keep her quiet for a moment. He had no control over his body anymore, like he had temporarily lost his mind. "It's a shame you are so hot with a personality like yours."

Elizabeth watched as he moved his head slowly towards her. She swallowed a lump in her throat and retorted quietly, "I could say the same about you." Her whole body tensed, but not the same as before. This was different. This was a bizarre expectation of pleasure mixed in with hatred, unlike nothing she had experienced before. His lips were full and inviting. Elizabeth could imagine kissing them. She could imagine them on her lips, on her skin. She wanted it. She slipped her eyes closed so she didn't have to look at him and allowed him to make his move. She released his wrist and placed her hand on his firm chest, allowing him to move his hand from between them and onto her back.

He pulled her into him tightly, melding their bodies together. It felt good. That contact was the best part of the evening. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as his lips hovered over hers for the briefest of moments before Elizabeth showed her impatience by standing on her tiptoes and slamming her lips into his. He didn't deserve sweet or gentle in her mind. No, she just needed an outlet for the frustration that had built up in her body over the last couple of weeks. Simply, he was hot and she was frustrated.

They paused, adjusting to the sensation of being joined before Elizabeth moved her lips slightly and Henry started kissing her with such passion her knees almost buckled. She felt as though she would have been straight on the ground if not for his strong arms holding her up against him.

Henry flicked his tongue out against her lips and Elizabeth responded by eagerly opening her mouth, allowing him to deepen the kiss. She couldn't help but groan at the feel of his tongue meeting hers. His mouth mashed into hers feverishly and she forcefully pushed back against him. The city sounds around them faded into the background and they were lost in a world of their own. She was becoming breathless and as his hands moved down towards her ass she felt him press himself into her. He was enjoying it as much as she was it seemed.

This made her pull away from him with force and slapped her straight back to reality as she remembered how much she disliked him. She didn't want him enjoying himself too much. He was an ass after all. That kiss was for her, not him.

Stepping back from his body, breathless and panting, Elizabeth was lost for words. _How could she hate him yet enjoying kissing him like that?_ It made no sense to her.

Henry eyed her as she moved away. Under the streetlights, he could just make out that her lips were parted and reddened from the friction his own lips had created against hers. She was breathless and she was pure eroticism to him. He couldn't help but smirk at the shock on her face. He had caused this reaction in the girl who was so closed off, strong willed and snarky. It was a good kiss. He hated to admit it because he just couldn't stand her. He wasn't so sure he ever wanted to see her again even though she was hot.

She took one look at his smug face and turned on her heel and walked off, leaving Henry alone on the sidewalk. He was feeling petty so shouted after her. "Thanks for a nice evening, was really great to meet you." His voice dripped with sarcasm. He couldn't help but laugh as she turned around and flipped him the bird.

"Don't bother trying to contact me, I won't answer." With that she strode off into the night muttering "stupid fucking jerk."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n I have decided to post this a little earlier because these three chapters all happen directly one after the other. Again, thank you for welcoming me back with open arms. I also would like to add that I will be finishing chaos. Its been a long time coming but after this is completed I will continue it. **

**Chapter 3**

Elizabeth opened her dorm door with such force it rattled the walls. She was heavy footed all the way home, almost as though she was trying to stamp Henry out of her mind. However, she couldn't get rid of him. She couldn't help but replay the awful date over and over in her mind all the way home. She analyzed his sense of humor, or lack of, their disagreement about the bill, and their kiss.

The kiss replayed in her mind as she pulled her sweater off over her head, dumping it on the desk. It replayed in her mind as she pulled her hair off her face and into a ponytail. It replayed as she abandoned the task, realising she needed a hair tie. It replayed when she reached into her back pocket to retrieve the hair tie she always kept there.

"What?" She exclaimed as she pulled out the $20 note from her back pocket. The memory of the kiss had been replaced by his smug face as she said goodbye. "You utter bastard!" Disbelief rolled off her. He must have slipped it in her pocket when they were kissing. A silent rage reared up inside of her taking over her body. _How dare he! Does he have no respect?_

Her mind worked quickly, offering her possible scenarios to her predicament. She could not and would not let him get away with this. _How could she track him down and give it back to him? _

Annoyingly, Becky wasn't home, so she pulled her sweater back over her head and set off to the payphone. She would have to call Aaron's dorm and get him to tell her where Henry lived. For some reason, this seemed like a completely sane thing for Elizabeth to do. She shook her head as she realised that she had lost her mind over some annoyingly handsome guy.

Twenty minutes later, she had Henry's address and was in her car, parking outside of his building. _Of course, this is where he lives. He couldn't live any further if he tried. _She didn't pay any attention to the surroundings or even if she locked her car. She had eyes only for the building and its inconspicuous door with the fluorescent orange light above it.

Marching towards the keypad, she buzzed up and waited for him to answer. Huffing impatiently, she stamped her feet, like a horse often would at the start line of a race whilst she waited.

"Hello?"

"It's Elizabeth, can you let me up?"

_What on earth is she doing here? _His mind raced through a multitude of possibilities, each more ridiculous as the last. A little dumbfounded, he released the lock and the harsh buzz sounded through the complex.

His heart was thumping. _Why was she here? What could she want? To pick up where they left off? _He hated to admit it but the kiss they shared was probably the best kiss of his life. It was full of passion, need and desperation, something that he hadn't experienced before, almost as though they were elements sparking off of each other.

As she hammered on his door, he remembered why she was probably here and couldn't help but chuckle a little to himself. Wiping the smile off his face and setting his lips into a tight line, he pulled the door open.

Their eyes met and locked. The briefest moment of silence washed over the pair before they started arguing over each other.

"How dare you give me back this money."

"Do you know how to knock quietly? You'll wake my whole building up."

"Can you not respect me for wanting to pay my way?"

"Hey, why don't you respect me?"

"You are unbelievable!"

"I don't want the money back."

"Just take it."

"This is the worst date ever."

"Here, take this money and shove it up your ass," she spat as she thrust it at him.

"Fine, give it here." Henry couldn't help but raise his voice. This back and forth sparring was equally as annoying as it was arousing. There was something about her that made him feel alive. That made him crave more of her. "I don't accept it but I will take it." He moved closer to her to take the money out of her hand. His fingertips brushed across the skin of her wrist as he took the money from her. "I guess we know who the bigger person is now."

Fire flashed in her eyes as she turned to go but not before she growled, "Fuck you."

Henry grabbed her arm before she left and said "Wait one minute, just tell me one thing. I need to know."

"Eurgh, what? What could you possibly want to know?" She huffed as he pulled her back to him. She allowed herself to be maneuvered into his arms more easily that she cared to admit. Flashes of the kiss sparked in her mind. She could have resisted but it was pointless. She couldn't deny the enjoyment of how her body responded to him up close. It was a thrill, exciting and erotic.

"You liked it." His breath danced across her face, highlighting just how close he was. "You liked kissing me earlier, didn't you?"

"So what if I did? I am an adult and I can do what I want to do."

They edged closer to each other, now close enough to feel the heat roll off one another's bodies.

"For crying out loud, Elizabeth, you don't always have to be so argumentative." As he spoke, his hand moved down her back causing her to shiver, then squeal, as he grabbed her ass with his hands.

She retorted low and quietly, so Henry had to lean in towards her. "You can swear, Henry. You aren't in church, you know." As she spoke, Elizabeth let her hands travel up and around his body, feeling the muscles that promised to be revealed under the shirt.

"I wouldn't want to compromise my morals for the second time toni-." Elizabeth's lips cut him off swallowing the rest of the word, converting it into a deep moan that tore through Henry. As their lips moved passionately, their hands began exploring each others' bodies.

Henry's hands moved swiftly back up her back and tangled in her hair, pulling her head backwards and away from his lips. He kissed the skin of her neck, forcing her to groan as he nipped the exposed skin before releasing her hair and resuming the kiss.

All rational thought had left the pair, their minds consumed with feelings of desire and arousal. This was unlike either of them, but both were in a vulnerable place, both wanted to feel good, to feel something other than the leftover frustrations of the day. They needed a release of endorphins to counteract the shit. It was easier knowing they didn't like each other. It was simpler knowing this was just an act of passion rather than a potential relationship where feelings and emotions got involved and made things messy.

Stumbling backwards into his apartment, Henry made sure to push the door closed. His neighbours did not need front row seats to what was hopefully about to happen. There seemed to be a mutual understanding of where this was going. Shoes were being kicked off and hands were now travelling to zippers and buttons. Desperation made her fingers shake making it harder to undo his jeans. Elizabeth finally gave up and using her frustration to yank them down over his hips. Hers were easier thankfully and fell to the floor after undoing the zipper.

Breaking apart to slip off their t-shirts, Elizabeth grinned wickedly. "So you like me enough to want to fuck me? How does that align with your morals, Mr Saintly?"

"Believe me, this has nothing to do with me liking you. I can't stand you." He pulled her to his bedroom, his hand gripping tightly around her wrist. The burn was another reminder of a physical need she craved.

"If it helps, I can't stand you either." She eyed his body as he pulled her through the doorway. His shoulders were broader than she had imagined and his back was just as ripped as his chest. He looked strong and toned. He had a good body after all.

"This is a write off. It doesn't count." Henry turned and reached out pulling her into him again. Her skin was soft under his touch and so smooth. The bronze of her summer tan was still evident, highlighting the pale pink colour of her bra. His hands moved up behind her back and pulled at the clasp snapping it open and pulling it off her.

"Sure whatever makes you feel better." She shrugged, as her bra fell to the ground.

Henry couldn't believe how good she looked naked. Her body was out of this world and he unconsciously licked his lips as his eyes travelled over her. Being sharp, Elizabeth noticed and couldn't help but feel desired, wanted. His actions were making her feel good. Feeling as though she was playing with fire, Elizabeth felt dangerous and could see how this feeling could become an addiction.

"Have you never seen a girl naked before?" Her fingers traced her breasts as she spoke, entrancing him further into her spell. He was putty in her hands and it made her feel powerful.

As Henry pulled his own boxers down releasing his erection, he noticed Elizabeth's eyes go wide and he smirked. He knew from sharing showers he was slightly larger than most but he enjoyed the fleeting shock tainting her expression. "Have you never seen a man naked before?"

"Apparently not," she whispered as she pulled her sodden panties down and off her long legs.

The sex that followed was fast and furious, it was not gentle or polite. The moans, gasps and groans coming from the pair were loud, forceful and passionate. There was a lot of pulling and tugging. Pushing and holding. Nipping and biting. It was animalistic and was just the release they needed.

Henry had pushed Elizabeth downwards to take his cock into her mouth just as hard as she pulled at his hair to reposition him when he lost her clitoris. He grabbed at her hips when he plunged himself into her from behind, just as she had grabbed at his shoulders and back when he was on top. Her nails had left red raw marks on his skin just as his handprints had marked her.

It was selfish sex, both trying to dominate the other with actions and barked instructions. In theory, it shouldn't have worked but somehow, it did.

After they had finished and were laying breathless on the bed together, reality started to set in. Both without words suitable to speak they laid in silence.

Henry was the first to move, getting up to dispose of the condom and wash his hands. On his way back, he picked up their clothes and bought them into his bedroom. He slipped the $20 note that Elizabeth had given him back into the pocket of her jeans and threw them onto the bed at her.

"Charming," she muttered as she redressed in silence. Henry averted his eyes to give her some privacy and that made Elizabeth laugh. "You realise we were just rolling around naked, right?"

"It just seems weird to me. To watch you dress, I mean." He turned his face slightly to see her pulling up her jeans and slipping her band tee back over her head. The silence resumed as she searched for her Chucks. She walked back out into the living room and located them easily. Perching on the edge of the couch to put them back on, she glanced up and noticed a few pictures of Henry with family, she assumed. If she thought this would turn into anything more she would have asked about them.

Henry walked out of his bedroom and leant against the doorframe watching her. He didn't say anything as he was unsure what to say.

"Hey, thanks for tonight, even if it was an awful date. This certainly made up for it." She eyed him briefly, noticing that Henry had put his jeans and t-shirt back on.

He joked, thrusting his hands into his pockets, "wow, you can be nice." It made her laugh, a loud barking one which made him smile. She stood then, still laughing, and grabbed for her jacket.

"Don't get used to it." Her voice was slightly kinder than before. "And hey, you do have a tiny bit of personality after all!"

He chuckled at her jibe this time and suddenly felt a little bad about putting the money back into her jeans. But before he knew it, she had left, without a goodbye.

**A/n we are halfway through, the next update will be bit longer (maybe a week) xxxx **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**A few weeks later**

Elizabeth woke early with the sound of the rain. hammering down on her window. She stretched in her bed and yawned before turning over and staring at her alarm clock. It was only 6:30am and way too early to be awake.

She felt under her pillow as she settled back down and her fingertips brushed against the note there. As her mind filled with memories of him, she fondled the paper note, feeling the cotton and linen texture of it. She thought about how it was the worst date she had ever been on, followed by the best kiss she had experienced, concluding with the best sex she had ever had.

She pulled the $20 note out and looked at it. The note, crumpled and worn still showed the seventh President staring stoically back at her, forever in black and white. She had to give it to Henry. He didn't give up and although she found it irritating she also found it oddly sweet. _He really didn't like to compromise on his morals. _She had carried the $20 around with her, hoping that she would bump into him but it hadn't happened yet.

Tucking the note back under her pillow Elizabeth thought back over the date, like she did most days and everytime she wondered if she really gave him a real chance. Sure he irritated her; however, did she give up too soon? He was the only person she had met that had made her feel something, and the sex, well, that was unlike anything she had experienced before. Huffing, she gave into her deepest and darkest wishes and admitted that she wanted to see him; maybe he wasn't that bad and she'd just taken out her bad day on Henry.

Deciding that today she would actively look out for him, Elizabeth threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. In the shower, she thought about where he would be and what he would be up to on a Thursday morning.

She ended up walking into campus and standing in the middle of the lawn. It was early but there were people up and about. This time of year, research and midterms pulled students out of bed to study.

Knowing very little about him, other than he was studying theology, she thought she'd head to the library. _It's as good a place as any, plus it's warm._

Walking in, she did a loop to see if he was here already. Not seeing him, she went via the Math section and grabbed a book to take with her to a table near the religion section. Looking at the clock, she noticed she had 2 hours before her revision class. _That should be enough time, _she thought as she opened her book and made herself comfortable.

A little over an hour later she heard his voice coming from behind her. Sitting up straight in her chair, she placed her palms down flat against the cool table top and resisted the urge to turn around to sneak a look at him. He was talking in hushed whispers with an urgency she understood as annoyance. She rolled her eyes, thinking "_still as tightly wound"._

Then she heard her. A female voice spoke over him trying to get her point across. The conversation was lost on Elizabeth, it could have been about an ancient text, she wasn't sure.

Not able to resist any longer, Elizabeth turned in her chair and saw him standing there looking at the towering shelves with his hands on his hips. The woman was nowhere to be seen. Then she appeared from the next aisle.

She was shorter than Elizabeth and her hair was dark and long. She was quite pretty really, of Asian descent, Elizabeth thought.

"I found it, and look, the reference wasn't until 1704 so your theory is debunked."

Elizabeth watched as Henry turned and smiled at the woman with the book. "Really?"

"Yep, really. Look." The woman showed him the text while Henry moved closer and put his arm around her. Elizabeth suddenly felt very out of place and very embarrassed. It was like a train had ploughed straight into her as she felt the air rush out of her making her feel dizzy. He had already moved on. Once the dizziness began to subside, the embarrassment morphed into a flash of anger at herself. _How could she be so stupid to waste her time thinking about him?_ _Thinking about how she would give him a second chance when he quite obviously had moved on. _

The fire inside fuelled her limbs and powered her to stand and march herself over to the pair. Henry turned when he heard footsteps approaching and the shock in his face made Elizabeth smile. He looked as though he had seen a ghost and just as he saw her he jumped away from the woman with the book.

"Elizabeth! What are you doing here?" Henry looked around sounding puzzled but trying so hard to sound normal.

"Oh, so you do remember my name. That's a positive, I guess." She shrugged as her eyes bored into his. Adrenaline flowed through her causing her heart to pound and her hands to shake a little.

"Of course I do. But what are you doing here?" Henry asked again, opening his eyes wider, trying to urge her to speak and to answer fast and well.

"Are you not going to introduce me, Henry?" The woman's voice cut through the tension making the pair turn their gaze to her instead.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not sticking around. I'm just returning this to Henry," Elizabeth said sweetly, pulling out the $20 bill from her pocket and handing it to Henry. "I'm not a whore. You do not need to give me money after sex, even if it was the best you've ever had."

"WHAT?" Henry distantly heard Rochana's voice shout out in surprise. He couldn't quite hear Rochana though, it was almost as though he had been plunged underwater and everything except Elizabeth was muffled. She was in focus, she was sharp, her blue eyes his anchor in this shit storm.

"Elizabeth!" Henry exclaimed. He couldn't believe what was happening. This was supposed to be a quick visit to prove a point to Rochana before they went to a study group. Instead, he hoped that a hidden camera would appear in a minute filming this and revealing it was some practical joke.

He stared open mouthed at Elizabeth in complete shock. Seeing her again he was shaken, on edge. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Ever since their disastrous date he had done everything in his power to rid her from his memory. She plagued his thoughts most of the day and at night she weaved into his dreams, seeming to tie herself within his consciousness. He had avoided trying to find her knowing that she didn't like him and thinking it wasn't worth the pain of trying. He preferred living with an open ended scenario in his mind, rather than her completely shutting him down.

Henry decided to call Rochana a week after he slept with Elizabeth. He needed to erase the memories of the passionate sex that he had experienced with Elizabeth. Calling Rochana and seeing her again hadn't worked. It didn't matter how hard Henry tried he still thought and dreamt of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth wanted the ground to swallow her up. Her cheeks were burning with a mixture of embarrassment, rage and sadness. She took one more breath to steady herself. "I've said what I needed to. I have to get to class see you around, or not" She was thankful her voice sounded far more confident that she felt.

Walking away she gathered her things and left just as the tears that pooled in her eyes began to fall.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 - the penultimate chapter (thank you all for reading!) **

After her very public outburst that morning, Elizabeth retreated into her shell. She was unusually quiet throughout her math lecture and revision group, preferring to stay silent and internally punish herself. She retreated back to her room afterwards, trekking back over to the old dorms instead of going to the library with her classmates. She needed to take solace in the privacy that her room allowed. Becky was at her English Lit class and Elizabeth knew she wouldn't be back until much later.

She fell into her bed and buried her face into her pillow, shutting her eyes and allowing time to process what had happened in the library. So he just jumped into bed with someone else, just like that. Fine. She didn't need that in her life. He was an ass anyway, studying something she had no real interest in. _But, we had a connection. _Her mind offered a counter argument. He would be going away with the military so wouldn't be ideal long term partner. _Eugh…. _She fell into a restless sleep with Henry fading in and out of her dreams.

Too soon she woke up to a loud and continuous banging on her door. Each thud seemed to pound her skull, echoing through her mind causing her to grimace with a sleep induced headache. Sitting up adjusting to being awake she rubbed her eyes as the banging continued. _Who the fuck is that? _

"Alright, give me a minute!" She shouted loudly, fire engulfed her body as a silent rage surfaced. A cocktail of leftover emotions from the morning and fresh annoyance of being woken up rudely.

"Elizabeth, open up!"

His voice travelled through the door and she paused standing behind the closed door for a moment. She certainly wasn't ready to face his wrath, whatever it may be. He continued banging which enraged her enough to yank open the door, just so he would stop with the noise.

"What are you doing here?" Every syllable was pronounced with such sharpness it caused Henry to flinch. Flashbacks to their first night together ran through his mind. Her breathless demeanor was similar to how she was that night when she knocked on his door. His mind then offered another view of her breath escaping her as she orgasmed in his arms. He tried to concentrate on her flushed cheeks now but his mind conjured up images of how her cheeks were flushed after they had kissed each other greedily.

Snapping back to reality he hissed, "What am I doing? What on earth do you think you are doing? What was that silly little game you played earlier?" His eyes were wide, his shoulders squared, his hands wildly gesticulating his annoyance.

"It's not my fault you can't keep it in your pants and already have another woman on the go," she retorted, crossing her arms across her chest, trying to physically protect her heart from him.

"I admit it wasn't ideal but we slept together once. I thought you hated me!" Elizabeth flinched as he paused "She is my ex. I contacted her to get _you_ out of my mind, she means nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. But come on, that was just embarrassing for you.I thought you had more class than that," he venomously spat at her.

Henry was truly annoyed about the library scene this morning; he cringed as he thought about it. He was embarrassed that he had been caught with Rochana, he felt as though he had slipped up and landed in the shit. He was frustrated with himself mostly because he didn't go to find Elizabeth, instead he pushed away any thoughts of her and tried to remedy them by sleeping with Rochana again.

Elizabeth audibly clicked her tongue, showing her disdain for him. "Wow. What a compliment. You _needing _to sleep with someone to get _me_ out of _your_ mind," Elizabeth huffed. "You know, Henry, one other thing that pisses me off is that trick with the money. It was low. You accepted it and then you try and pay me like a _whore._" She whispered the last bit not wanting anyone in her building to hear her. "Did you think it was funny?"

He stepped closer to her then, invading her personal space. Her arms fell away from her chest and hung at her sides ready to push him away or pull him closer, she was confused. She didn't know how he made her feel.

"Trust me, I wouldn't have paid for you. You aren't worth it." His voice seemed softer but still full of venom. He looked down at her. Her blue eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted and he noticed her tongue darted out to moisten her lips as if she was preparing for him to kiss her. _Had he got it wrong, was she actually into him just as he liked her? Was her reaction this morning brought on by the shock of seeing him with another woman? Why had she been waiting in the library anyway?_

Henry decided to test the waters and see where she stood. He moved tilting his head slightly and she mirrored his actions moving her head in the opposite direction.

He smiled as she whispered, "Still was the best sex you have ever had."

"It wasn't," he lied as he moved his hand up to her face, slowly brushing his fingers against her cheekbone whilst the other wrapped around her waist.

"I seem to recall you enjoying it." Her hands now moved from her side and wrapped around his back pulling him closer to her body. "Don't you remember how you swore as we fucked? If I can make Saintly Henry swear, then it must have been good."

"It's all lies, I don't swear." His voice was almost a whisper now as his lips hovered over hers. He could feel the gentle pants of her breath on his skin, urging him on to kiss her. "So can I come in so you can prove me wrong?"

She made a snap decision then, choosing to listen to the pulse in between her legs and in response her lips gently touched his. It was featherlight and delicate. Henry moved his lips slowly to capture her bottom lip, kissing it gently before releasing it. Elizabeth pulled him into her room and he kicked the door closed behind him.

A little while later, their bodies joined intimately causing Henry to suddenly passionately grunt, "fuck, you are incredible."

Elizabeth, underneath him, smirked, pressing her lips into his shoulder, knowing that he swore and that she would let him know later because right now, she was enjoying the burning desire he was providing her.


	6. Chapter 6

A/n here is the last chapter. I thank you for sticking around. I'm actually quite pleased with this ending and I hope you like it too.

Xxx

Thank you, let me know what you think.

Chapter 6

2015

Elizabeth opened and closed her mouth, trying to get her ears to adjust to the altitude. Moving her jaw side to side before swallowing, she admitted defeat. Nothing was working. She supposed that she was getting a cold and it was proving slightly harder to adjust at take off. She and her team were off to meet with Minister Chen in Singapore. It had been hard going getting them to agree to a truce this time. Her relationship was strained to say the least with him and she desperately needed his cooperation this time.

Reaching into her bag for a candy to suck on, her hand came across something large, hard and smooth. Pulling it out of her briefcase, she smiled. The wooden edges of the frame were slightly worn and chipped. She ran her fingers across the edge of the frame, feeling the smooth dipples in the wood as her eyes fell across the object behind the glass. Her body flooded with warmth when she traced her eyes over the crumpled note perfectly preserved in all its glory.

Her fingers felt a post it note attached to the back of the frame and she quickly pulled it off as she set the frame down on the table in front of her. Henry's characteristic handwriting adorned the little yellow note.

Elizabeth,

Remember not all relationships start out in the friendliest of ways. I thought this would serve as a testament to your commitment.

I love you.

Henry.

Running her fingers across the indents that the biro had made, she smiled and studied the frame. It held part of their story and they treasured it wholeheartedly. It may of been a rough and explosive beginning for them, but it was their beginning and it was unique. She thought how this $20 bill had been traded between them in the first few valentines cards and birthday cards. It became their constant. It became their physical evidence to commitment, to never giving up.

She stifled a chuckle as she remincised why it had ended up in a frame. It's original place was on their fridge at home, held captive by a magnet they bought on their first holiday together. It had been there for years, until the kids were older. One Saturday, they had ordered pizza for a movie night and when one of the kids tried to pay for the pizza with the twenty off the fridge it was swiftly moved to a new protected home - the frame.

"What's so special about it anyway?" Stevie asked, the movie forgotten after Henry grabbed the money from the shocked delivery guy.

Henry and Elizabeth eyed each other as they all congregated in the kitchen, wondering how they would explain to the kids that their mother thought their dad was paying her like a whore. "Babe?" Henry prompted whilst he stuck the note back up under the magnet.

She gave him an evil smirk and offered, "it's from our first date. We were set up and we did NOT like each other. In fact we hated each other. I tried to pay my share, with that very note, but your father wouldn't allow it."

Henry chuckled moving closer to Elizabeth, his hands resting on her shoulders. "Boy, that annoyed your independent mother no end. She was mad."

"How mad? Like muddy shoes in the house mad or I left the field gate open and Buttercup escaped into our garden mad?" Alison asked, taking a slice of pizza and sitting down at the table.

Henry sat opposite her and said, "oh, worse. Much worse... like Lady and the Christmas tree mad."

A chorus of "Whoa!" ,"No way!", whistles and bangs on the table followed.

"I wasn't that bad!" Elizabeth tried to say before laughing along with everyone else.

"It just serves as a reminder that sometimes you can be wrong about someone and that you should persevere. Now let's eat!"

Elizabeth touched the frame gently in front of her again before slipping it safely back into her briefcase. Henry was her soulmate and the reason she was who she was today, and it seemed alien to her now that she could ever have hated him. She opened her sweet and as she sucked on the strawberry and cream candy, she closed her eyes and let her mind flow through her memories of being with Henry at UVA.

2059

"It is with a heavy heart and unparalleled sadness that I am standing before you to announce the death of our beloved Mother. She passed away early this morning, surrounded by love and peace. She had 91 long years on this earth and she constantly moved the boundaries of what was possible. We are immensely proud of her and we hope to mourn her in privacy. Thank you for standing beside the Mother of our Nation. Thank you."

Flashbulbs erupted, a sea of blinding light rose and swelled in front of Stevie. She turned, blinded by the light and the tears that began to haze her vision, stumbling slightly before Dimitri's strong and stable arms swept her along and out of the bright afternoon sun.

"You did amazing out there, your mother would of been proud," he whispered in her ear before gently placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

9 years later

"The new $20 bank note, featuring President McCord, is to be unveiled today in a ceremony in Washington DC, on what would have been President McCords 100th birthday. It is expected to draw a large crowd of people to witness the unveiling with our newly elected 2nd female President in attendance too. Joining the well wishers will be President McCord's children and grandchildren. It's been a long road to get here as our special editor will tell us now…. Good morning, Carol. How long has this process actually taken… "

The sound of the newscast faded into the background as Stevie sat contemplating the day ahead. She looked at her reflection in her vanity and traced the lines of her face. She softly smiled, which caused deep wrinkles to crease around her eyes and mouth, when she noticed the old dented wooden frame. As her eyes flowed over the frame, she reached out and held it in her hands, running her fingers across and into the dents and scratches. The well worn wood still framed the $20 with pride.

This was one of her parents favourite processions and the note had always been there in her life, on the family fridge, on her parents' desks and now on her vanity table. It symbolised her parents' beginning and in turn hers, too. The story attached to the note had been romatasiced though the generations and even more so now it was public knowledge. It was now a symbol of a perfect love story. Her dad, a timeless romantic, who wanted to pay and her mom, an independent woman, who didn't believe in that tradition.

The tale in their biography was sweet and romantic. The pair jovially arguing backwards and forwards about who the money really belonged to. It had been written that the $20 was posted in love letters between the pair and that Elizabeth and Henry McCord bonded sweetly over this $20 bill.

Stevie grinned as she thought of the real story and how it came out. Her mother, tipsy, on their 50th wedding anniversary sat swaying at the dinner table, her glass of red balanced in her hand, surrounded by her children and their snoozing young grand babies. Elizabeth was merrily recalling the story over dessert. Stevie closed her eyes briefly to picture her mom's reddened cheeks and the gleam in her eye as she spoke of what the $20 note meant to them. She remembered the way her father held his head in his hands as her mom recalled the fact they had argued over this note for a long time. How her mom thought he was paying her for sex, how she had kept trying and failing to give it to him in a variety of ways. How her dad had shouted at her mom for being so stubborn and trying to be cooler than she was.

"Believe it or not but we didn't like each other in the beginning…" Stevie remembered her dad saying. A rowdy reply from the rest of the table ensued.

"No way, I don't believe it!"

"Lies. You two could never hate each other."

"Oh, we did. We really did. I thought he was so boring and arrogant." Her mom had shouted over the noise.

"Babe, don't forget pretentious."

"Yep, pretentious, too." Elizabeth hiccupped, holding her finger out towards Henry.

"So how did you end up together then?" Alison had asked.

Henry replied, "Well, you see, that $20 was the reason we kept seeing each other. It gave us a purpose. We would hunt each other down and give it back in a snarky way".

"The more public the better," Elizabeth had added to which Henry nodded.

"So, when did you realise you did like each other?" Dimitri had asked as he took Stevie's hand and squeezed it gently.

Stevie remembered the way her parents shared a quick look before giggling. "Oh, pretty quickly. Our rendezvous always had a good outcome."

"But we were young and stubborn so we never admitted it."

"Hey, talk about yourself not me."

It was a lot less romantic than the press would have you believe, that was for sure.

Opening her eyes and placing the frame back down, Stevie chuckled, remembering the last time she touched the bill behind the glass, all those years ago on the farm when she tried to pay for the pizza delivery using the precious note off the fridge. Her horrified parents wrestled it out of the delivery drivers hands, unknown at the time to Stevie that she had nearly traded her parents' history for margarita pizza.

Today was a big day.

It was time to honour The Mother of their Nation.


End file.
